Bartle Bogle Hegarty

I have returned to the IPA after my week at BBH. I had a fantastic, if slightly exhausting, time. It was a real insight into agency life, planning in particular. Unlike most work experience placements I have done, I felt I was being vaguely useful! Funnily enough, pages 12, 17 and 29 of Marketing this week have shown me that the project I was working on was even more topical than I suspected. I'm resisting the temptation to email the articles over - it would just be too keen.

Overall, the agency were incredibly kind to me, although, unfortunately, I did not meet Sir John Hegarty, but his PA and office were very nice when I walked past!

I had a very steep learning curve while I was there, but it really confirmed that 'plannerish' ambitions are the right kind of ambition to have, for me anyway.

Tescoville

I trudged to Tesco HQ in the rain. It is grey. Everything about Tescoville is grey. Or maybe it was just my mood.

I left the station and turned the corner, expecting the ubiquitous glass tower that seems to be the bastion of British business in the 21st century. What I am confronted with is definitely not glass, not even grey glass.

Tesco HQ is the ugliest, most run-down looking, set of buildings I have ever had the pleasure to visit due to work. In a strange way, this is quite refreshing and certainly grabs my attention in a way more pleasing architecture would not. It was also brown, not grey.

When asked about the ‘low-key’ buildings, as we diplomatically put it, this marketing director’s answer was interesting. Tesco is not a flashy brand, and therefore, rather than have a flashy new building, they would rather spend that money on the consumer.

Standard marketing patter, the more cynical among us would say. Normally, as a cynic going by the name of disillusioned idealist, I would agree.

However, there was a small part of me that believed him.

24 Hours With...

One of the most intriguing sections of Campaign for me is ‘24 Hours With…’. You could put this down to natural curiosity, nosiness or just plain voyeurism. As it is unlikely I will have the honour of being invited to contribute to that column in the near future, adapting it here seems like an interesting, if slightly self indulgent, experiment. So here I go:

Name: That would be telling…
Job: Marketing and Research
Professional mission: To be a name, but not a face
Personal Mantra: To be interesting

7.20am Leap out of bed...[really]
7.30am Wish I had more clothes.
7.45am Select tube reading material.
8.00am Lock house and sprint to bus stop.
8.10am Bus late, forehead wrinkles deepening visably.
8.20am The joy of the central line fills my soul.
9.00am Arrive at a beautiful building, check emails, wake up.
10.00am Meeting with Hamish and Peter about the book. Feel dynamic and motivated.
12.00pm Glued to Google in the name of research.
1.00pm Lunch and a walk around Hyde Park in search of fresh air - I don’t find any.
3.00pm Minutes. Shoot me now.
4.00pm Try to think of some interesting ideas. Varied success.
4.30pm Interview eminent Tesco person with Peter for Hamish’s book. One of the best bits of my job. Fascinating.
7.30pm Arrive home, perverse bin men have left the bin on our flowers…again. More wrinkles.
11.00am Bedtime.

I'm beginning to doubt whether my personal mantra is appropriate…!